In the October issue of Ski Magazine, marking the 75th anniversary, the editors talked about a number of critical milestones in the sport’s evolution.

The boot pictured in the Nordica add was the “Olympic” one-piece shell model (you can tell by the small buckle and strap on the top of the inner boot). I had presented the first velcro cuff strap, but the design staff @ Nordica thought it was ugly.

The Olympic was too much boot for everyone in the transition from leather to the very sensitive underfoot feeling of the new Nordica Plastic boots. Racers overpowered their skis and that scared them. It was one of the only times when boot technology / capability was ahead of that of the skis of the day.

It took almost 18 months for the majority of racers to pickup on the Grand Prix, by by which time the Olympic had been abandoned. The risk was that the top buckle straps could crack and tear out. My solution to replace them with a riveted strap (that could be replaced) was also not accepted. I was still the “spring chook[chicken]” in the barn.